The Sennheiser MKE-440 is an on-camera microphone that features dual-stereo capsules for greater sound capture.
Sound is as important as the visuals when it comes to video content creation, and for interviews or atmosphere the Sennheiser MKE-440 allows you to capture a much wider stereo field by including two mic capsules in the left and right mic housing.
For shooting scenarios like two person interviews, or capturing the ambient sound of a location, the polar pattern and microphone coverage is wide enough to hear much of the surrounding sound, but cancels out sound from behind the microphone (from the camera operator for example). The capsules are shock mounted independently in the metal casing to remove unwanted movement noise, rather than the entire microphone on the camera hot shoe.
The 3.5mm TRS jack cable has been relocated to the front of the microphone to avoid it coming across the camera screen or viewfinder while filming. It runs on 2xAAA batteries with an impressive battery life of 100 hours.
Specifications of the Sennheiser MKE-440 at a glance:
50Hz to 20KHz frequency response.
Stereo supercardioid microphone capsules.
Runs on 2xAAA batteries for 100 hours of operation.
Low cut filter and 3-level sensitivity switch.
The Sennheiser MKE-440 is available to purchase now from CVP from €294.33, and from B&H from $349.95.

The Cinemartin VENUS is a recently announced high-brightness slimline monitor that provides a professional solution at a competitive price. For a limited time only, it is available with a very attractive rebate offer.
Rated at 1000 NIT, the VENUS‘s high brightness makes monitoring and focusing easier when shooting in sunlight, or in situations that present a wide dynamic range. 10-Bit processing allows for more colour information to be displayed too, with up to 1.07 billion colours. This is achieved by FRC (8+2 Bit) ‘that produces an effect to see cleaner, natural, and a greater range of colours’.
The monitor is slimline, with an average depth of only 11mm that makes it thinner and lighter than the Atomos Ninja Flame and the SmallHD 702 Bright. Its aluminium chassis makes for a small and light monitoring package that can be used with many cameras via HDMI.
The downside to this monitor would be, as noted by the manufacturer: the Cinemartin VENUS is designed to be slim, durable and affordable, choosing to leave out advanced features such as peaking, waveform, vectorscopes, overlays for framing or LUT support. You would have to look at around the $1000.00 price mark for these features.
The controls are accessed via buttons on the rear of the monitor rather than through a touchscreen. The reason is that touchscreen functionality would decrease the monitors brightness by 2 stops.
On release, the price is certainly very affordable for a high brightness monitor in comparison to other higher-priced products, such as from SmallHD or Atomos. Whether the quality holds up to the other products available, I’m not sure yet. After using Lilliput monitors for a while, I made the switch to Atomos when seeing the visual quality improvement that they offered.
The package includes free shipping, 2 battery plates and software for ProRes and HEVC H.265 encoding (valued at €199.00), with a price tag of only $795.00 (€695.00). As part of a limited offer, if you purchase a monitor and send back a video review, Cinemartin will refund $200.00, making the purchase cost $595.00 (€495.00) in the end.
Cinemartin VENUS – Specs:
Luminance from 700 to 1000 NIT.
Bit Depth: 10 Bit (8+2 FRC).
True 1920×1080 resolution.
7 inch screen size.
Runs on Sony NP batteries.
HDMI input.
UI features – brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, flip, stretch (16:9 to 4:3), colour temperature.
Power rated at 9W.
Includes software for ProRes and HEVC H.265 encoding (valued at €199.00), and two battery plates.
Are you looking for a high brightness monitor? Could the Cinemartin VENUS be it? Let us know in the comments.

Ikan released a handy-looking 7″ monitor earlier this year that’s now shipping in full flight. The Ikan DH7 is a slimline 4K ready 7″ IPS on-camera monitor, all in an impressive sub $500 package.
So yeah, it looks like this product was announced some time ago, but it received little press; it wasn’t until a random Instagram post recently that I first heard of it.
The Ikan DH7 is super slim and lightweight, the battery solution will exceed both aspects in most cases.
It’s HDMI only (no SDI) but loops the same signal back out. What’s handy about this is how it deals with a 4K (up to 3840X2160) signal.
While the DH7 features a 1920X1200 IPS panel, it will receive a 4K signal and pass it on via the HDMI out. This is a nice feature, as many current monitoring devices will downscale a 4K signal, meaning any output will be 1080p and thus making it hard to implement a full 4K workflow.
The Ikan DH7 also utilizes a 4K signal to enhance features such as peaking and 1:1 pixel mapping for focus.
While in the subject of features, here’s a list of focus and exposure support from the Ikan DH7:
Histogram
Audio level meters
Monochrome Peaking
False color
Clip guides
Movable 1:1 pixel mapping
DSLR scaling
Underscan
From an ergonomics point of view, this is one of the thinnest and lightest 7″ monitors out there, at around half the weight of a SmallHD 702. You get threads on both sides and top/bottom for flexible mounting; the hood takes advantage of three of them when used also.
Across the top you get a handful of function buttons, on/off switch and a menu wheel for toggling settings.
Across the bottom you get your HDMI in/out, DC in for constant power, USB port for firmware updates and a headphone output for audio monitoring.
It’s not a bright monitor: $499 gets you 300NITs of brightness so that shade will come in handy, I’m sure. Viewing angle is 178° on both axis and the contrast ratio is 800:1.
It’ll receive all usual PAL/NTSC frame rates in interlaced, progressive and psf signals, as well as the aforementioned 4K (3840X2160) resolution and a few sub HD resolutions too.
In terms of power, the Ikan DH7 ships with a Sony L-series plate as well as Canon LP-E6. Further mounts allow compatibility with additional batteries from Sony, Canon Nikon and Panasonic.
By specification, this will make a good partner to the new 4K Sony Alpha Cameras (A7RII or A7SII), the fact that it’s HDMI only and price range reflects this. For more info click on the link below.

We thank our sponsor B&H who
has made cinema5D’s news
coverage of NAB 2012 possible.
Get your gear through B&H to support this platform: www.bhphotovideo.comHere’s another new LED light from a company that has some great products and evolves every year. I have tested these and appreciate the quality vs price ratio here. It’s just right. I reported about their medium sized Z180 LED two weeks ago. Here are their small combinable on camera lights.
They just received their first batch of these lights in the European store (see below):
American F&V store:
K160 – $39
K320 – $59
K480 – $89
European F&V store: LINK

We thank our sponsor B&H who
has made cinema5D’s news
coverage of NAB 2012 possible.
Get your gear through B&H to support this platform: www.bhphotovideo.comYou’ve seen lights from F&V before. Dedotec presented their 1×1 panel series last year. F&V’s products have been rebranded numerous times, but they now established their own brand name and online shop.
The Z180 LED series is an in-between size to the smaller on-camera style LED’s and the larger 1×1 panels. Light output and quality is quite good. They have increased the CRI value over last year’s generation of lights and added some more features as you can see in the video.
The Z180S (bi-color version) is $390.
It has 1380lx at 1 meter. Correct me if I’m wrong: A conventional 1×1 panel seems to have 1400-1700lx at 1.2 meters.
You can soon get these at B&H and also at the F&V store in Germany. Here’s the link to F&V USA:

I’ve reported about the Rycote micro windjammers the other day which will protect your in-camera microphone against wind.
If you’re using a larger, external microphone there’s probably a need for some kind of protection and noise cancellation and the solution Rycote offers is professional yet very compatible with DSLRs and other video cameras.
The 14cm (5.51″) kit:
Buy the Rycote Universal Camera Kit 12cm (4.72″)
Buy the Rycote Universal Camera Kit 18cm (7.08″)
for more info visit the Rycote website
B&H has provided these exclusive phone numbers for you if you have questions or require assistance:
US: +1 877 502 5839 and INTERNATIONAL: +1 212 465 0114

Rycote has a history of creating accessories for audio equipment. They’ve recently come up with something very unique: The micro windjammer for hdslrs and other mini microphone devices.
Rycote have been making windjammers for professional broadcasters and film-makers for over four decades. Our new Micro Windjammers provide easy-to-fit, all-in-one wind protection for your camera’s built-in microphone, giving you great-sounding audio whatever the weather!
for more info visit the Rycote website
B&H has provided these exclusive phone numbers for you if you have questions or require assistance:
US: +1 877 502 5839 and INTERNATIONAL: +1 212 465 0114